


Pístis, elpís, agápē

by orphan_account



Category: Assassin's Creed - All Media Types
Genre: During Canon, M/M, Post-Canon, a brief look into their goodbye and reunion
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-17
Updated: 2019-12-17
Packaged: 2021-02-26 00:58:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,507
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21830071
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: “We may not have forever, Lykaon. But we have tonight.”
Relationships: Alexios/Lykaon (Assassin's Creed)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 28
Collections: Yuletide 2019





	Pístis, elpís, agápē

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Kaydel](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kaydel/gifts).

> Alexios and Lykaon’s separation and return, with a snippet into their interactions. Starting just after Alexios has killed Elpinor and discovered the Cult and must go onwards to Malis and Athens. 
> 
> I wanted to throw a Christmas-y angle to the story, and me being a greek mythology nerd decided to have the Dionysia as a setting, which was a festival in December that celebrated the ‘rebirth’ of Dionysus with a festival of offerings, singing, dancing and feasting. 
> 
> Between their final night and reunion, I’d say about a year and a half has passed. 
> 
> The title means 'Faith, hope, (and) love' in ancient Greek, please excuse any mistakes

“Have you heard the story of Apollo and Hyacinthus?” Lykaon lay, tucked against Alexios’ side, head resting on his chest. Sticky and slick with sweat from the intimacy they had just shared and the Summer air. 

“I’ve never been one for stories,” Alexios said. “Unless they are about war, but tell me this one, who was Hyacinthus.”

“He was the son of King Amyclas of Spartal, the founder of Laconia.”

“Now him, I have heard of.”

“Yes, the misthios brute would have.” 

Alexios pinched Lykaon’s side, who laughed and batted his hand down. 

“Apollo saw Hyacinthus walking in the fields and thought he was the most beautiful thing he had ever laid eyes upon. He came down from Olympus and began a relationship with the man. Apollo spent every spare moment with Hyacinthus, teaching him everything he knew. Never had the sun shone as brightly when Hyacinthus was lying by his side. But his lover's beauty attracted the attention of another. Zephyrus, the god of the west wind, wanted Hyacinthus for himself. But the young man, devoted only to Apollo rejected Zephyrus’ advances.”

“I can’t imagine he took that well.” 

Lykaon did not laugh at Alexios’ joke, his eyes fixed up at the night sky, a wistful expression on his face. 

“One day in the fields,” Lykaon continued. “Apollo was teaching Hyacinthus to play the discus. Suddenly, the wind blew westwards, blowing the disk Apollo had just thrown into Hyacinthus’ head. He took his last breaths as Apollo held him in his arms. Apollo, through his tears, wiping the blood of his lovers face, ‘oh, that I might now give up my life for you! Or die with you!’. And shouted for Hades to send Hyacinthus back to him. Persephone, taking pity on Apollo’s cries, came to him. While she knew not even Hades could return the mortal to life, from where Hyacinthus’ blood had fallen flowers sprouted up. His soul forever destined to bloom in Apollo’s months, when the sun shines strongest.”

“It’s a beautiful story.”

“I cried the first time I heard it. Lykaon sat up to face Alexios, pulling his legs up so his knees were tucked against his chest. Not because of the story itself, but rather a sense of sadness that I had never experienced such a devoted sense of love before.” Lykaon sat up to face Alexios, pulling his legs up so his knees were tucked against his chest. “When must you leave?”

“What makes you think I’m leaving?” Alexios sat up so they were now faced to face.    
  
“You needn’t lie to me. I’d rather know this will be our last night together than have to say goodbye in the morning.” 

Alexios doesn’t feel guilt often, it’d be a death sentence in his profession. Still, the sadness in Lykaon’s eyes causes a pain inside himself he hasn’t felt since leaving Phoibe. 

“Where are you going after Phokis?”   
  
“Malis and then Athens. Truly, I do not know where I am going to be led. Everything I thought I knew-” Alexios trailed off, staring up into the night’s sky. His sister’s face stared back at him, his mother's screams echoed in his ears. “My family was destroyed by a lie, I must find those who are responsible. My mother is alive, if I can find her, return to my sister. I will not be able to do that here.”

“I understand why you must leave and I hope you will understand why I cannot follow you.”

“Phokis is not the only place with people who need your help. I have-”

“Alexios.” Lykaon interrupted. “My grandmothers lies affected many of those who live here. I need to make things right. And if what you are saying is true, I can help you more by uncovering this Cult in Phokis than attending the pains and wood burns of your crew. ”

“You are not a fighter Lykaon, the Cult is dangerous.”

“I never said I would fight. Phokis is riddled with disease and illnesses, they are not selective. If there is someone who knows something about the Cult, they would tell me if it meant I can give them medicine for someone they loved.”

“You are one man Lykaon, the Cult of Kosmos have a hold-in every corner of this world.”

“Are you not also just one man?” 

“I am thankful you have offered to help me with the Cult but do not forget about yourself.” Alexios barely felt able to keep eye contact with Lykaon let alone express the sentiments he felt inside. “You spend all your time taking care of others, I wish things could be different, and I could stay here, to the same for you.”

“These last few days with you, I’ve felt more understood than I have in my whole life here. I cannot say that I’ll wait forever but under different circumstances. Well, I think I would’ve made a good Hyacinthus for you. ”

“I’m Apollo? I really must be blessed by the Gods.” 

Lykaon smiled in response. Alexios fixed his eyes on the man's face, mapping every detail of it for his memories.

“Everything you have done is your own, Alexios. That is your hard work, not the Gods.”

Alexios leaned forward, closing the gap between them. Lykaon’s lips were still sweet from the wine they had shared, a faint hint of the salt of sweat from the intimacy only a few hours ago. 

“We may not have forever, Lykaon. But we have tonight."

* * *

“Where to now?” Barnabas asked. 

Alexios stared out to the vast sea in front of him. “The Cult is still out there.”

“It doesn’t have to be right back to work,” Barnabas said. “You’ve achieved a great thing, a rest somewhere perhaps?”   
  
Alexios understood the implication behind his words and before he had even said ‘Phokis’, a wide smile erupted on Barnabas’ face. 

**X** **X** **X**

Phokis had not changed in the time he had been away. Many of the faces Alexios past seeming distinctly familiar. The cold air and intermittent showers of rain, however, were a stark contrast to the blistering heat he had felt the first time he was here. 

As he made his way through the town, the dancers baring gifts to Dionysus, the singing echoing out from the temples. 

The sun had started to set when Alexios reached the Chora of Delphi. The walk there was so easily found in his memories it was as if he had never left. 

As Alexios had hoped, Lykaon was alone, sitting on a patch of grass in front of a fire, overlooking the mountains. He could not help but stand there for a short while watching him, wondering what thoughts were consuming his mind. 

_Had he moved on to someone else? Were his words just passion in the heat of lust? Would he want to see him? _

Alexios' own thoughts caused him to step on a pile of twigs making a loud cracking sound. 

Lykaon spun around, his hand reaching for a small dagger in a holster by his side. 

"Alexios?" he breathed out, barely loud enough to hear over the crackling of the fire. He stood up, walking towards Alexios, staring at him as if he wasn't really there.

"I hope that it hasn't been forever." Alexio's cursed himself inwardly for making the joke but after a pause, Lykaon beamed at him and pulled him into a tight embrace.

"Did you find her? Your mother?"

Alexios wrapped his arms around Lykaon in return, pressing his face into the groove of the other man's neck. "Yes and my sister too. She's free, of the cult. My family is, I have them again."

“I’m so glad, Alexios.” 

“And the Cult?” he asked, pulling out of the embrace.

“I’ve killed many of them, though there is still a great number out there. But a friend told me that rest is in order before I carry on.”

“So, you came here?”

"If you'll have me."

"How long are you staying this time?"

"As long as I can." 

“Was there, anyone else," Lykaon's eyes flickered down to the ground. "In your time away?” 

“It isn’t something I really had time for. Well, Alkibiades was very persistent but give him enough wine, and he’ll start crying about Socrates and fall asleep." He could still sense the doubt in Lykaon. "The cult must be dealt with, but I need a place to come home to and I think you could be it. I still wish for all the things I told you before I left."

The tension in Lykaon's shoulders dropped and his gaze wandered back to Alexios. "Well, at least you won't be dealing with the Cult in Phokis."

"You did it?" 

"I don't believe they are all gone, but at least the ones with the power to do harm. You were right though, I am not a fighter." He gestured to a small scar across his right cheek.

Alexios ran his fingers over the spot and pressed a kiss to it. "Let me take care of you, healer."

**Author's Note:**

> The holiday season can be really hard for a lot of people and if that’s you, just remember that you aren’t alone, these things will pass and you will be okay <3 Take care of yourself, I'm rooting for you.
> 
> If that doesn’t apply to you then I hope you are having the most wonderful time and Christmas (if you celebrate) and I hope for everyone that your new year is full of joy. 
> 
> Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed it.


End file.
